A TEENAGER, who is charged with burning down a barn causing £150,000 worth of damage, has appeared before a judge at the Isle of Wight Crown Court.

Thomas Raftery, 19, of Poole Lane, Bournemouth, pleaded guilty to a singular count of arson that saw a barn at Gatehouse Road Farm, Upton, near Ryde, packed with hay bales, go up in flames last August.

It was detailed to the court how evidence provided to police cleared the 16-year-old co-defendant of any wrong doing.

The court heard how the farm lost three barns in the fire that raged for 16 hours.

Prosecutor, Tim Compton, said: "Evidence provided to the court show that Mr Raftery actually set two fires.

"One the 16-year-old defendant managed to extinguish, as a result of this we offer no evidence for them and as a result invite your honour to make a judgement of not guilty against the younger boy."

Judge Rodger Hetherington agreed to find the 16-year-old defendant not guilty of arson.

The case was adjourned to allow probation to carry out a pre-sentence report and Raftery will be sentenced in the Isle of Wight Crown Court on March 26.

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